Charlie Horne, one of Scotland's last surviving D-Day veterans, has died at the age of 100. Horne served on a minesweeper that came under fire on June 6, 1944, during the Normandy landings, clearing sea mines off Omaha Beach.
He passed away on November 3 at Erskine Veterans Charity's Edinburgh Home. Horne, who hailed from Prestonpans in East Lothian, was 18 when he experienced the devastation of the landings.
Reflecting on his wartime service, Horne said, "I will never forget what I saw. I don’t think you could live through something like that and ever really leave it behind, no matter how many years pass." He described the terrifying reality of ships being destroyed, men in the water, and shells from the shore, all while aware that a single explosion could be catastrophic.
Despite the fear, Horne recalled the necessity of continuing the mission, stating, "We had a job to do, the men beside you were relying on you, and you were relying on them, so you carried on."
Horne, born into a fishing family, was already an experienced seaman when he served on minesweeper MMS 291. His handwritten diary documented the aerial bombardments and shelling as German guns targeted the minesweeping vessels. He witnessed "lots of wreckage" and fallen servicemen in the water, with enemy fire landing near his vessel. His ship cleared eight mines after departing Plymouth, but the danger persisted, with another minesweeper losing its bow after striking a mine.
His wartime contributions were later recognized with the Legion d’honneur, France's highest order of merit. After the war, Horne returned home, married his sweetheart Jenny, and they had three daughters. Jenny died in 2009.
Wing Commander Ian Cumming, chief executive of Erskine Veterans Charity, expressed deep sadness at Horne's passing, noting the poignancy of his death as Remembrance approaches. "We are losing the last of a generation who experienced the Second World War firsthand, and with each passing, another irreplaceable connection to that period of our history is lost," Cumming stated. He added that it was a privilege to care for Horne in his final months.